Special Education December 1 Child Count
Introduction
School divisions are required to report an unduplicated count of students with disabilities receiving special education on December 1 (or the closest school day to December 1) for state funding and federal reporting under provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B.
Announcements for School Year 2024-2025
Updates and Reminders
The Pre-submission window opens in November 2024, after the 2024-2025 Fall Student Record Collection submissions are completed. Divisions can periodically check for the Pre-submission application availability within SSWS.
- December 1 Child Count Window opens on Monday, December 2, 2024
- December 1 Child Count Window closes on Friday, December 13, 2024
Resources
- December 1 Specifications Document (Word)
- Collection Event: December 1 Child Count 2024 (PDF)
- December 1 Child Count Placement Codes (Word)
- Regular Class Percent Chart (Word)
- Calculation Tool for Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
- Considerations for Reporting Service Time and Regular Class Percent (Word)
- Indicator 6 Reporting Considerations during COVID-19 (Word)
- Information Modules & Training Videos:
- Information on Funding for Students with Intensive Support Needs (Word)
- Questions & Answers on Serving Children with Disabilities Placed by Their Parents in Private Schools
- Student Record Collection Codes Values
- Virginia Education Update - Article 2024-35-351
December 1 Child Count Collection Event
The Department of Special Education and Student Services would like to provide local educational agencies (LEAs) with the following information regarding the December 1 Child Count data collection, submission dates, and procedures.
December 1 Child Count data collection questions should be directed to spedprogramdata@doe.virginia.gov.
Student Record Data Collection questions should be directed to RESULTSHELP@doe.virginia.gov.
Student Record Collection (SRC) Presubmission
The Student Record Collection (SRC) Presubmission application will be available for divisions to submit their December 1 Child Count files prior to the opening of the December 1 Child Count window. School divisions are encouraged to utilize this application during November to submit preliminary data files, identify potential errors, and make necessary corrections prior to the final data submission.
December 1 Child Count Submission Window
The 2024-2025 December 1 Child Count submission window will open Monday, December 2, 2024, and will close Friday, December 13, 2024. All divisions must have a successful submission on or before December 13. Your Superintendent’s verification by electronic signature is also due Friday, December 13, 2024.
Please ensure every student with an active Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Services Plan and receiving special education services is reported on the December 1 Child Count. This includes students who are parentally-placed in private schools, as well as students in residential facilities, regional centers, private day schools, and hospitals. To avoid duplicate counts, please communicate with other agencies. Following a successful child count submission, you must complete the Parentally-Placed Private School and Home School Students Data survey before your report will proceed to the superintendent for verification. The LEA does not report students from the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, or state-operated programs; those entities report their own students.
December 1 Child Count Resubmission Window
If a division suspects an error in their verified Child Count report, division Superintendents and Special Education Directors should review their reports during the following 3-4 weeks and resubmit needed revisions/corrections during the penalty-free resubmission period in January.
Submissions made after the Child Count window officially closes for the collection year may impact the division's local determination rubric for timely and accurate data submission.